Faded
by ADemonInATeacup
Summary: All Naruto wanted was to bring Sasuke back home so that everyone would be happy again and stop blaming him. He wished that maybe his own selfish desires would be fulfilled as well. !WARNING! Graphic violence and scenes of amnesia throught the book, primarily in the first chapter.
1. Escape

I knew I had to run.

They were chasing me and they would not give up, even I knew that, the ever so stupid idiot. My weak jumpsuit would never be enough to protect me from wind or rain, let alone sharp weapons and fire. Days before the Kyuubi Festival - and my birthday in turn - I had brought back Sasuke. Like I'd promised. We were both beaten up, maybe me a bit more than him with a Chidori to the stomach whilst I made sure my Rasengan only slightly grazed his side. I still can't hurt him too badly. It had taken a long time, but I'd finally managed to convince him to come back.

On our way back to the village, he passed out from chakra exhaustion and blood loss, him not having a demon inside him to aid healing and boost his chakra. When we got to the gate, Sasuke was immediately taken from me and hospitalised, most of the ninja believing that he was the one bleeding profusely rather than me. I was a monster, I wasn't supposed to be good or loved like a hero, I wasn't supposed to be happy. Hell, I wasn't even supposed to be alive.

This lead me to the situation I am in now. Both citizens and ninja running after me with kunai, shurikens, pitchforks, fiery torches and multiple jutsu, both elemental and general. I heard a shout of "Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)" behind me and felt flames licking the back of my clothes before I turned to corner in an attempt to find another route to shake off the crowd.

Before me was a dead end, a disgusting wall next to piles of overflowing trash; the perfect place to be beaten to death. As I reached the end, I turned around, prepared to face the crowd, when a kunai was thrown straight through my right hand. I was pinned to the wall as another stabbed through my left, pinning it to the wall. Once I was 'secured', the villagers descended upon me.

A kunai was thrust into my stomach as the crowd moved in closer around me. Faces spat and sneered at me, kunai slashed and stabbed at me, jutsu assaulted and attacked me, there was no room for me to move or even attempt escape. I could hear Kurama in my head, screaming at me to "Move!" and "Just get out, Tsunade will understand if you attack them for self-defence!". Maybe he would be able to do that.

If I did that, everyone else would believe that I really am a monster, that all those screamed insults were the truth. A fresh pain in my hands pulled me away from my thoughts and back into the Hell that was reality. I twisted my head, looking at my left hand, before realising they had yanked out the kunai, quickly repeating the action with the other, causing me to fall flat on the floor, my face pressed into the dirt and the dust on the floor finding its way into my wounds.

Seemingly thousands of legs crushed me downwards, forcing me even more into the floor and pushing the breath from my lungs. Feet kicked my ribs, cracking them as blood bubbled up my throat from the internal damage and spilt out onto the floor. A singular leg came smashing down on my head, snapping my neck to the side as my vision faded to black.


	2. Discovering (The Truth)

The small blond lay on the crisp white sheets of the hospital bed, strapped up to machines and a plastic tube down his throat, helping him breathe. Tsunade was an excellent healer, but she wasn't a miracle worker. Naruto was moments, seconds, away from death when he was found and his heart stopped five times when Tsunade healed him. Someone had stuck a seal - proving that both ninja and civilians took part - on him, blocking the Kyuubi's healing abilities and cutting off some of Naruto's chakra so that his natural Uzumaki healing rate was useless.

Naruto was 15 and he was on the brink of death once again. This wasn't the first time he had been cornered and attacked at the same festival. It was almost common. He avoided the festival when possible, only being caught when he was young and slow, or when he was already injured and had lost track of time.

Konoha Council had decided that the last Uchiha was too precious to cull or imprison, preferring to make him stay in the village and off any missions for two years. Said Uchiha had just awoken, fully healed and unknowingly so close to Naruto, who was only next door. The duck-haired boy sat upright in his bed, deftly swinging his legs over the side and stepping out of the room with only a little wobble.

His pink-haired teammate was standing at the end of the corridor, a bunch of flowers within her grasp. The vibrant flowers thudded to the ground as the girl gasped before sprinting towards Sasuke, arms outstretched and a wide smile on her face. The boy sidestepped, avoiding Sakura before turning around to question her.

"Where is Naruto?" he asked, stretching out his joints as he looked at the girl.

"I don't really know," Sakura replied, breaking eye contact with her crush as he seemed to stare into her soul.

"What do you mean?" he almost shouted, stomping towards her, "He was badly wounded, much more than me. He must be somewhere in this hospital!"

"W-what? That idiot was wounded? No. No! He was just covered in your blood." The pinkette exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration as her crush ignored what she was saying.

"Listen here," said Sasuke, glaring at her with eyes of steel. "I remember the battle, you weren't there, you don't know what happened."

The girl gasped, eyes watering, 'her' Sasuke-kun was being mean to her.

"When I was taken over by that curse seal-" he looked at his shoulder, where the mark lay sealed by Naruto, before facing the girl again.

"Naruto and I were fighting with Rasengan and Chidori. He made sure the Rasengan only grazed my side-" he gestured to his bandaged side, "I, on the other hand, was running on the hatred from the cursed seal and I... " Sasuke trailed off before shaking his head in regret.

"I shoved my Chidori through his stomach. I know I didn't hit any of his vital organs, but the Dobe seemed to be bleeding lots before I passed out. So, where is he?" The ravenette finished, stare falling back onto Sakura's face.

Sakura stepped back, hands over her mouth as she shook her head. "W-we haven't s-seen him since h-he brought you here."

The duo looked at each other, before running to the Hokage office, Sasuke first with Sakura minutes behind. Sasuke burst into the room where Tsunade sat at the desk, a bottle of Sake in her left hand and shaking her right hand as a fist at Shizune.

"Lady Tsunade, where does Naruto live?" asked Sasuke, striding up to the desk before the Hokage.

"Why do you want to know? If you need to see him, he is in hospital." The Hokage replied as Sakura gave her mentor a surprised look. "I'm surprised that you didn't see him on your way to find him as he is in the hospital room next to you to the left." With that final phrase from Tsunade, Sasuke instantly Shunshinned back to the hospital, leaving behind a confused trio.

"Is he really that worried about that idiot?" questioned Sakura, quite annoyed by Sasuke's attitude and him ignoring her, preferring to find the dobe. 'SHARANNARO! WHY DOES HE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT HIM? I WAS THE REASON WHY THAT IDIOT WAS SEARCHING FOR SASUKE-KUN! SASUKE-KUN SHOULD BE ASKING ME FOR MY HAND IN MARRIAGE. I LOVE HIM THE MOST!' Inner Sakura raged on as the pinkette angrily stomped out of the hospital.

Sasuke stood outside the door - forehead pressed against it - breathing deeply. He had no idea in what state Naruto was to be, just that he would have a fist-sized hole straight through his stomach. The ravenette slowly eased the door open, inhaling sharply as he saw the blond lying between crisp white sheets, all visible parts of his body bandaged.

There was a clear breathing tube stuffed down his throat and his face was swollen. Layer upon layer of fabric lay across his body, the bandages stained with blood, showing clear signs of beatings. The boy took a few steps towards his rival/best friend/crush's bed before falling to his knees before it, a devastated look upon his face. A cough disrupted him, making him turn to face the door. Lady Tsunade stood there - apparently sobering up in a minute - with a technical look on her face.

"Naruto was found in a dead end on the other side of the village away from his home. When you were brought back here, I saw Naruto. He was exhausted and had a smile on his face, the only wound on him was on his stomach, and, presuming from what Sakura told me, the hole in his stomach was created by your Chidori. This means that somehow he was heavily wounded after he left once he turned in his mission report to me."

"Then when di-" Sasuke began before being cut off by Tsunade.

"He was found in an alley on the other side of the village from his home in an unfamiliar place where he should never be. I am now going to disclose to you some information which may make you hate this village more than you already do-" At this Sasuke huffed. "-but this is for the sake of Naruto. Just promise me that no matter what, you will not freely speak of this knowledge." Tsunade sat down in a chair, moving one across from her for Sasuke before settling down and preparing to talk once Sasuke nodded.

"On the 10th of October, 16 years ago, the Kyuubi escaped his confines as the Jinchuuriki holding him gave birth. A masked man controlled the Kyuubi and got him to attack our village instead of roaming the lands. The battle was long and tough, the lives of both Civilians and Ninja were lost. It ended with the fourth Hokage giving up his life and sealing the beast in a child. The very child who was birthed by his wife, Kushina Uzumaki. The two died, leaving their child orphaned and hated by all the older generations. Naruto is that child. You see? Yesterday was the Kyuubi festival and the 10th of October. Naruto was wounded and weakened so he was hunted and beaten within an inch of his life. A seal was slapped on him so that the Kyuubi was unable to heal him. We found in only just in time. This is why we have Konoha secrets. I don't know what Hiruzen was thinking by telling them but he made the biggest mistake." The information given by Tsunade slapped Sasuke in the face when he was told. His eyes zoned out as his thoughts raced through his mind.

Naruto was the holder of the Kyuubi.

Naruto was almost killed.

Naruto was the son of the fourth Hokage.

Naruto was in danger and it was all his fault.

Sasuke pulled at his hair, before dragging his chair over to Naruto's bedside and grasping at the pale, lifeless hand which was scarred and scratched.

"Y'know the real reason I came here, to get you back? It wasn't really because of Sakura, dattebayo. It's because I love you Sasuke." Naruto smiled wide - wider and truer than Sasuke had seen before - as the ravenette's hand plunged through his stomach. A thin trail of blood slid from the corner of the blond's mouth as he coughed.

"Wake up, Naru, I… I love you too."


	3. Telling Them

Naruto had been in hospital for a week before Sasuke left his side. The ravenette was walking to the Uchiha complex when he bumped into one of his old classmates, Kiba Inuzuka. "Hey! Watch where you're going, idiot." The fanged boy shouted as his canine companion barked.

Sasuke muttered a quiet 'Sorry' before attempting to turn away and continue with what he was doing when Kiba placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back to face him again.

"Sasuke?" he questioned, eyes narrowing as he twisted the other boy around. "It is you! That means Naruto brought you back. Wait. Where is Naruto?" Sasuke ripped his shoulder from the boy's grip, stumbling back a few steps as the grief overtook him again

"N-naruto is in h-hospital." Sasuke whispered, voice trembling in worry, the Inuzuka only hearing him due to his pronounced hearing.

"What? Naruto is in hospital? You bastard." He shouted, growling at the Uchiha and pushing his shoulder. "What did you do to him?"

"It wasn't me." Sasuke said before walking a few steps towards his home complex. "Naruto was beaten by the villagers. If you don't believe me, ask the Hokage, she'll tell you." With that final sentence, the ravenette Shunshined to his home before a singular tear slipped down his face, leaving a confused Inuzuka with his partner in the middle of the street. The boy immediately ran to the Hokage tower to see if Sasuke was lying.

As he walked into his bedroom, Sasuke thought about all the times he had spent with Naruto before pulling a Space-Time scroll out of his pocket and summoning his clothes. He changed and washed quickly, rushing to get back to the hospital and back to his love. The ravenette pulled on a black top and some black trousers, strapping his pouches to him tightly before Shunshinning to the Yamanaka flower shop to buy some flowers for Naruto before he went back to the hospital.

He narrowly avoided one of his previous fangirls as he purchased yellow roses, bellflowers and white, purple and red tulips along with a singular peony. All the flowers showed how he felt for Naruto, the peony showing all his regrets.

Sasuke walked to the hospital, before entering Naruto's room. As usual, there was no-one in his room as his only visitor was Sasuke because Sakura didn't really care, Tsunade was busy and none of Konoha twelve knew about it. The pale boy clasped the hand of the blond on the bed, tears leaking from his eyes as he pressed his lips to the lifeless hand. When the tears stopped, Sasuke pulled up a chair next to Naruto's body, resting his head by Naruto's side as he drifted off to sleep.

Lots of voices awoke Sasuke as his head lay next to Naruto. Presumably Kiba had gotten Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Neji, Rock Lee and Tenten. All nine of them were likely to be outside to door, so Sasuke stood up and walked towards it, pulling it open to reveal them all. "C-can w-we s-see h-him?" stuttered Hinata as she played with her fingers. Sasuke nodded before turning back around and sitting back down in his chair and intertwining his fingers with the boy's he loved.

The ravenette heard all the squads gasp as they entered the large room and saw Naruto surrounded by machines. "What happened to him?" whispered Tenten, the weapons master on the edge of tears.

"It began when Naruto and I fought at the Valley of the End." Began Sasuke, the other occupants of the room, other than the unconscious blond, quietening their muttering to listen to him. "I was overcome by the cursed seal's hatred that I fought him. We fought with Rasengan and Chidori. We both hit each other and I passed out. Naruto carried me back to Konoha, dropping me off here with Sakura before beginning to head home. Little did he know that it was the Kyuubi festival and-" Sasuke's voice cracked before he continued. "-lots of the villagers believe that Naruto is the reincarnation of the Kyuubi, as he has it sealed in him, so each year they put on the 'Fox hunt' where they hunt him down a-and they try their best to kill him." At this most of the group gasped and Sasuke swallowed. "B-because I weakened him, he had no stamina to run from them and was caught. The villagers beat him until he could barely breathe, even involving some ninja to perform jutsu on him." Sasuke croaked before turning back to the still body and pressing the pale tan hand to his face.

The nine other occupants of the room gathered around the bed, some crying, others looking murderous. "Wait, where has Sakura been?" questioned Ino, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I haven't seen Sakura since I found out Naru was here, that was a week ago" replied Sasuke, his nickname for Naruto not going unnoticed by the Nara.

"So you've been here all week since you woke up in hospital, except for when you bumped into Kiba whilst going to the Uchiha complex." stated Chouji, popping a crisp in his mouth every few words. The ravenette by the bed nodded, not taking his eyes off the boy.

"Why haven't you left him, you're rivals, right?" asked Shino, a slight buzzing sounding as he spoke. Sasuke nodded again before clearing his throat to speak.

"I… owe it to him. I caused him to be weakened and defenceless, meaning that he got cornered and beaten in the first place. In the end it is all my fault and I…" The boy trailed off, not wanting to continue.

"And what?" questioned the usually 'youthful' Rock Lee with a solemn look on his face.

"Nothing." The other answered, the Nara picking up on his slip-up once again.

Konoha 9 lurked around the room for a while before being called out for missions or called home as it was late. The nurses in the hospital were neutral, not having hatred towards the blond carrier as they had seen him so often, letting Sasuke spend each of his lonely nights by the boy he loved to his core.

Once again Sasuke broke down in the middle of the night, whispering to himself and pleading for Kami to turn back the time so he could write his wrongs, so his love would be okay. Once again Sasuke fell asleep dreaming of Naruto with drying tear-stains across his face.


End file.
